Haven't seen any info in the PHB / DMG about aging, I suppose it's one of those things left for the DM to decide, which I'm perfectly fine with.
I DM a Birthright campaign, where the years go by pretty fast, some PCs will become "old" during the campaign.
So, here I am asking fellow DMs how would they handle aging in the game.
At the moment, I'm thinking of using either the ADnD 2e or 3e table from the PHB, but I'm curious to know what others have in mind.
Thus far I've simply been handling it as the character being visibly older, and if you hit your races maximum age you die, but no other effects mechanically because not enough aging has actually come up in my campaigns (a decade or two doesn't affect most people noticeably - and the only aging beyond that was because of a ghost and was undone with magic before it really mattered).
I'm leery of following the prior edition approach, since those rules are harshly punishing to many classes, but are overall bonuses to others to such a degree as to have had powergaming players request that their starting character already be middle aged or old.
I might, if aging comes up enough in future campaigns, institute a system by which aging may cause complications - so while aging might make someone a bit stiff in the joints (lower dex) or cause some atrophy (lower strength), it might also muddle the mind (lower intelligence) so as to present it as a universally troublesome thing (including potentially lower all the other abilities I didn't mention).
I agree with AaronOfBarbaria. My only modifier to it is to add the constitution bonus (or penalty) to the maximum age just to add a little variety
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
Instead of applying ability score modifiers, how about making use of the exhaustion table? As you age you become fatigued faster and more often, even though you might still cling onto the strength you had of your youth. A keen mind is placed in disadvantage due to forgetfullness, distractions, etc.
Let's take the human as an example (change the years as suits your campaign).
Age 45: Exhaustion level 1. Disadvantage on ability checks.
Focussing on your skills has become troublesome as your body and mind have passed their peak performance.
Age 60: Exhaustion level 2. Speed halved.
You're not as fast as you were in your younger years.
Age 75: Exhaustion level 3: Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws.
Seriously, would you really want to be swinging swords and dodging fireballs at this age?
Age 90: Exhaustion level 4: Hit point maximum halved.
Better stop adventuring, old geezer.
Age 100+: Exhaustion level 5: Speed reduced to 0.
Your adventuring days are over. After a long and exciting life, you find yourself confinded to your death bed.
Exhaustion level 6: Death.
Will your deeds echo into eternity?
Exhaustion due to age cannot be restored unless your age is magically reversed.
Good luck to those elderly berserkers, who will literally frenzy themselves to death!
AerosRegarius wrote:
Delazar78 wrote:
disadvantage is indeed too harsh, but I really like the fatigued idea from Aeros
So what about "older" characters for RP goals? Currently creating a witch who's roughly around 61, just because it's more fun that way...
And to say that when you get older, you'll become weaker has never met the trainer in my learn-to-run-course,.. that old geezer looks like waldorf (of the muppets), runs marathons every year, is as agile as can be and is 2.5 times als old as I am... No, I don't see him flailing a broadsword in some dark dungeon, but i'm sure he gets further then me! (Remember, you don't have to outrun the dragon. Just run faster than one of your team-mates!)
Very true, CFK.
I guess it all depends on the type of campaign you're running. With most adventurers around 15-35 years of age, campaigns often don't run long enough for age effects to come into play. Also, the grey-bearded wizard or withering witches add a lot to roleplay. Such characters shouldn't be given said disadvantages.
However, campaigns in which decades pass, with knights and other warriors facing old age, what's not fun about them slowly declining only for their offspring to continue where they left off...
Aging effects have probably been left out for a reason. Like many things in 5E, ask your DM. And if your DM does make use of some aging system, play an elf!
I once ran a campaign in which the heroes faced a couple of ghosts. Back in 2E, the ghosts could age you quite a bit. After the battle, the ghosts were defeated and the party members were between 70 and 92 years old! Most played knights, so I gave them many disabilities due to old age. The roleplay was hilarious though, since they began acting as old men as well. One became senile, the other constantly needed to go to the bathroom (he was too late in one incident). Their next quest was, of course, finding the legendary fountain of youth, after which they were restored to their rightful selves. One even bathed a little longer just to gain a few extra years of life!
Aeros, that's an interesting take.
Delazar78 wrote:
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
MechaPilot wrote:
transcendantviewer wrote:
I'm going to start telling my wife I'm rolling with disadvantage these days when she complains a task has gone undone around the house. 
What about, if when you reach a certain age threshold, you need to make a check at the end of the day, roll a % dice (let say 10% at 45, and 75% at 85) and if you fail, then you gain one exhaustion level for the next day. This exhaustion level last until you rest for a full day per exhaustion level you have. Also, you add 5% to you check for each exhaustion level you have.
DanyBallon wrote:
MechaPilot wrote:
DanyBallon wrote:
In that case, if you take the next day off every time you fail the save, then you won't suffer from any penalty, but you may not go on a dungeon crawl as often as when you were young. In my opinion, this would make sense.
DanyBallon wrote:
MechaPilot wrote:
DanyBallon wrote:
MechaPilot wrote:
Then again, "wisdom comes with age" or something like that. So when a PC gets older, shouldn't he/she get a wisdom bonus? 
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It would be convenient for that 61-year old druid you're looking to play, CFK.
AerosRegarius wrote: